adidas Tech Super “WCAP”

• MODEL: ADIDAS TECH SUPER
• SERIES: ADIDAS CONSORTIUM
• PACK: ADIDAS WATER COLOR ANIMAL PACK
• MADE IN: VIETNAM
• MADE ON: --/13
• ART.NO: G95758
• FACTORY: SHW 675001

Water Color Animal Pack? What a stretch for a pack name, seriously adidas. What’s more, they’re taking this phrase to name a Consortium series retro of a super classic (no pun intended) vintage running silhouette: the adidas Tech Super. Now I could be wrong, but I’m guessing that hardcore grail hunters won’t be chasing these cats down too heavily this Spring.

Inevitable elitists aside, what a creative direction for adidas to take with their Consortium series, which has certainly been making larger and larger leaps ever since the canvas clearing Tabula Rasa drop back in 2011. What we have here is a combination of artistic visual effects – the watercolor line quality – and traditional sneaker texture play – the animal print. While leopard, or cheetah, or especially snakeskin is something we’ve seen before (almost to a grossly overdone amount), I can’t personally recall the last time that I noticed a shoe covered in watercolor stylized design.

Set for a March 16th drop, the Spring of 2013 promises to be a livid one with three WCAP pairs released into the wild. Beyond the Tech Super we’ll see a much lighter, white-based Strider – an interesting choice considering its lack of attention over the years (thrown together in a Thanksgiving pack of the past as well as the roman numerated MMVII line of 2007 to name the few that come immediately to mind), and also a Matchplay, which is apparently becoming the new staple silhouette of the adidas Consortium line. And it’s that final, low-cut, straight-forward court pair that seems to shows off the watercolor animal effect more than the others.

But back on track, this particular pair of Tech Supers paws its way into one’s immediate attention mostly due to the feline skin print featured across their mesh upper base. The bright “super” yellow trim and laces certainly extend this ’90s runner’s loud growls, popping especially hard against the black suede and leather layers.

Speaking of birth dates, it’s also of interest to note that once again we’re seeing another adidas runner revival after the likes of the Torsion Allegra, Centaur (now called CNTR or CNTR 2013), and Phantom. Despite their fame, in the end I must admit I won’t be wearing a pair of these, as animal print has never been my thing (nor have runners for that matter) however I would love to see adidas continuing to hit this ‘art’ path, exploring such texture treatments as watercolor, oil, acrylic, charcoal, or chalk. Picasso packs, if you will.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol